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Rockin The Train Breaks Maiden In John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge
Rockin The Train, under jockey Francisco Giles, won the $72,182 John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge on Saturday.

© Coady Photography
Rockin The Train Breaks Maiden In John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge

ALTOONA, IA—AUGUST 17, 2024—The fourth time was the charm for Rockin The Train (32-1), who raced to his first career win Saturday in the $72,182 John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge.

Bouncing off a fourth-place finish in the July 29 trials, Rockin The Train and jockey Francisco Giles posted a three-quarter length victory in the final, clocking 17.447 seconds, equaling a 97-speed index.

Bradley Bolen trains Rockin The Train for owner-breeder Debra M. Gotovac. The Texas-bred son of multiple stakes sire Bp Wagon Tran earned $33,204 for the effort. 

The brown colt also picked up an invite to the $140,000-est. John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship(G2) on Bank of America  Racing Challenge Championship Night, October 26 at The Downs at Albuquerque.

John Hernandez presents the winning connections of Rockin he Train the John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge stakes trophy. © Coady Photography

Gotovac bred Rockin The Train from the Rock Solid Jess mare Rock Solid Jet.  He has earned $34,614 in four starts.

Runner-up Kvn Good One and jockey Jorge Torres earned $14,436 for finishing second. Fernando Manriquez-Garay trains the son of leading third-crop sire Kvn Corona for owner Wee Race LLC. H & H Ranch, Inc. bred the bay gelding in Arizona from the First Down Dash mare Eyesa Good One. Kvn Good One nearly doubled his earnings to $30,335.

Another Kvn Corona gelding, I Know You Know, made a steady effort to finish a head back in third to earn $7,218. Stormy Smith had the riding call for trainer John Hammes.  Hammes is co-owner and breeder of the gray gelding with Bradbury Racing. Bred from the One Famous Eagle mare Who You Know by Tom Bradbury and Hammes, I Know You Know has earned $20,321.

Rockin The Train returned $67.80 to win, $16 to place, and $12.40 to show.

Happy Wagon, Valiant Candy Tree, Anna Bele, Jrs Queen, Hondo Hocks, Flyn Agree, and Isle B Bac completed the field.